The Scale of Disaster
by River Edge
Summary: An alternate story, in which Joel is left behind, and Tess is entrusted with the burden to bring Ellie to the Fireflies.
1. i

**Note** : I haven't written anything for a long time. This is due to work and relationships and all that jazz. However, this idea just came to me this morning and I was desperate to give it a go. As the story progresses, I will delve into what potentially could be a rich, complex relationship between Tess and Ellie. How things develop, I don't know yet. But that's writing for you. Some episodes from the game will be incorporated into this story, so, of course, be aware of spoilers.

* * *

 _It was like when you make a move in chess and just as you take your finger off the piece,_  
 _you see the mistake you've made,_  
 _and there's this panic because_  
 _you don't know yet the scale of disaster_  
 _you've left yourself open to._

–Ishiguro

* * *

 **i.**

'––Don't breathe.'

Heaven and Hell collide somewhere in the centre. A bullet strokes past her ear, and she watches the deadly seed travel through the air. When his head explodes from the impact, the girl stares, fascinated, disturbed, terrified. The bullet penetrates his skull. Bursts out his left temple. His friend receives the same bullet, blood splashed across the walls, and again, and then again.

One bullet. Four men down.

Ellie's ears are ringing.

She blinks. Hard. As if waking from a dream.

'Keep moving, kid.'

Quiet. They are so quiet, so lethal, Ellie wonders if they are truly invisible. She follows her, gripping onto her pistol so tightly, she has managed to stop the blood circulating her palm. It makes her arm go numb. Or maybe she's just going crazy. Maybe this is dying. No man or undead will destroy her; she'll just destroy herself. From clinging on too hard, for just a little too long.

Rain trickles down her cheeks. They need shelter for the night. And both of them are starving to death. Ellie has forgotten the taste of food. Her mouth is full of ash and rotten flesh. She thinks she might vomit. But her heart is in her throat, squeezing, and she still hasn't breathed yet. Her lungs ache. They have to keep moving, but every corner they turn, there's another soldier; another mound of corruption, waving his pretty gun around. If given the chance, they will both be shot dead.

Miraculously, they go unnoticed. An abandoned garage is close by. Ellie follows, close to her ankles, and eventually gives in; she gasps for air. Her body trembles, sweat on her forehead, hands breaking. It occurs to her that she is in shock. That she might panic, and lose her mind. A part of her wants to fall into hysteria, and scream. Scream so viciously, her voice shreds and she's left dumb.

'Tess?'

'In here. Quickly.'

Tess is stronger than she appears – or, perhaps she's just desperate – because she manages to lift the garage doors open. Straining under the intense weight, she lets Ellie through first. Hurriedly, Ellie crawls inside, and finds something sturdy enough to hold the door open.

Once they're safely indoors, Tess adjusts the doors; ensures they are locked. Ellie hasn't moved. She can't move. She just stares at the five corpses huddled together in the corner of the garage. They haven't been dead long. But the stench hurts. Ellie's temperature spikes, 'Fuck,' and she turns away.

When Tess grabs the handgun on the ground, she checks the magazine, and then the deceased family. 'Poor bastards.' Ellie glances at her. There must be bullets in the gun because Tess pockets it. Ellie frowns. She didn't hear an ounce of sympathy in those two words. Although, to be completely fair, Tess has seen too many sights such as these to wield the energy to care.

It all gets a bit repetitive.

'Look around for anything you can find. Anything useful.'

'Don't worry. I know the drill.'

Ellie isn't very fortunate. She discovers a few cans of gone-off food. Blankets. A misplaced diary which she has no interest in reading. The garage is joined to another room where Tess has gone. Ellie inhales deeply when she enters. At least it doesn't smell as bad in here, but there's only so much they can grab.

A book grabs her attention. _Never Let Me Go_ written by Kazuo Ishiguro. Curious, Ellie cracks the book open. What she assumed to be a lovey-dovey novel isn't one after all. But dark and sad and a story of forbidden hope.

'Why did people used to write about sad things?' She sighs, eyeing the cover. 'Especially when their world was so much happier.'

'You don't know that.' Tess strides over, 'Here,' she throws a packet of biscuits in her direction. 'It's not much but it'll keep you on your feet. Not much I can find. Try and get some rest and we'll head out at first light.'

The biscuits are dry and stale. But it's food.

'What are you gonna have?' Ellie asks, mouthful.

'I'll be fine.' Tess won't be fine, but she's not important. In fact Ellie can't recall a time when Tess has put herself first. _Herself_ just doesn't even occur to her. 'Stay here. I'll check the bodies.'

Ellie is relieved to miss the opportunity. She finishes her biscuits, and carries her new book to a far corner of the room. The cold has started to creep in through the gaps. She shudders, and begins to read. She's slightly alert of Tess's movement. When she returns, Tess is silent, and Ellie doesn't ask what she found.

She hears a _crack_. Like a match being lit.

Looking up, Ellie watches Tess light a cigarette.

'You smoke?'

Tess doesn't answer. Not immediately. She enjoys the first inhale. The euphoria as it travels down chest, her legs, just lifting her into a place where the ache in her bones isn't as agonising.

'Not since the outbreak.'

Ellie doesn't mind the smell. She observes Tess a moment longer. Pleased she's discovered something to enjoy. 'Can I have a try?'

'Huh.' Tess looks at her, a crooked smile; almost a disapproving scowl. 'Not likely.' But there's a fondness hidden deep. 'What's your book about?'

'Oh. I don't really know yet. I think I've read it before, though. About a bunch of kids who don't get to run their own lives because they're donors. Or whatever. They're born to give away their organs, basically. Until it eventually kills 'em.'

There isn't a response, and Ellie thinks Tess has stopped listening so she resumes her reading.

Tess stands, stubs out her cigarette, 'Jesus,' she mutters, and Ellie stiffens; book held tight. And neither speak for the remainder of the evening.

* * *

Gunfire.

Ellie gasps, brutally awoken.

Tess grasps for her hunting rifle, and peers through the window. She watches, still as ever. Two soldiers have thrown a couple of civilians to the ground, threatened them, shot one in the head for his lack of cooperation. It's the woman they let live. Tess looks away briefly, aware of Ellie's eyes on her.

Both can hear the woman scream. Ellie blinks, wide-eyed, confused, frightened, and when she begins to stand, Tess grabs her by the shoulder and forces her down. 'Why can't we _do_ something?' Ellie whispers harshly.

'There's nothing we can do.'

In that moment, Ellie loathes her.

What a coward's way out!

But Tess is right. There's _nothing_.

'We need to go. Stay close to me.'

* * *

They escape.

Abandon the city they resided in overnight, and out into open field.

Winter is furious. Cold, bitter, demonic. Tess's leather jacket barely keeps in the warmth, and Ellie's hoody doesn't do much either. But if they move, and don't stop moving, they won't freeze to death.

Most of their travels are in silence. They've been going for nearly three months now, and Ellie only knows her name.

And they don't talk about Joel.

Or how it felt when Tess squeezed the trigger, and watched him die.

After he _begged_.

Ellie has witnessed the madness before. When her dearest friend was infected, Ellie saw the crazy. When her eyes dilated, her jaw _snapped_ , all essence of love and life _gone_. Ellie doesn't entertain how close Joel and Tess were. She doesn't want to. It might just make her sad, and she's sick of being _sad_.

'D'you think this'll work?'

Tess sighs. She only met Tommy once, and she doubts Joel's brother will recognise her. Those two did not see eye to eye. Although there was a reluctant respect they held for one another. 'I honestly don't know. We just need to get to Jackson County; just need to get there and…' She peers at Ellie from round her shoulder, 'It'll be fine.'

But he could be dead.

And God knows where Tommy is right now. Tess picked Jackson County because it's the last she heard of his whereabouts. To rely on a Firefly though, to approach a Firefly for help – it unsettles her stomach. It isn't just the Fireflies either, but _people_. After the outbreak, Joel was the only person she could depend on.

Even _that_ had its complications.

She wonders if Joel would do the same.

Protect one little girl to save the damned human race.

She wonders, _and hopes_ , that if their situations were reversed, he would have done the same.

* * *

They come across a hill of burnt undead. Gathered by either Fireflies or the military. Just hundreds of bodies. Smoke still emits from their charcoal forms. Tess doesn't seem to notice. Ellie tries not to either.

'What's the point in killing what's already dead?'

'It's called cremation. Sometimes, when people die, they––' she chuckles meekly. 'Ah, forget it.'

'I thought people were just buried.'

'Not always.' Tess hasn't slowed her pace. Ellie has trouble keeping up at times, especially in moments like these when Tess wanders in her own head. It is heavy with memories and thoughts and a shit amount of regret. 'There are many ways to get rid of a body. Some people just find it hard to let a body decay without, y'know, giving it some form of burial. Giving it peace.'

'I've never buried a body before,' Ellie murmurs, vacant.

'You should be so lucky,' Tess whispers, and Ellie isn't sure if it's just the wind.

* * *

By the time they reach the next town Ellie has finished the book. It doesn't make her upset, as such, but her throat hurts, and she doesn't know why crying would relieve her. She's angry. Angry that the writer couldn't have rewarded her heroine with a happy ending. Angry that the writer seemed to already have a grasp on the desolate world she and Tess have to survive in.

Not many undead roam here. Tess entrusted Ellie with a pistol weeks ago, and it's an easy job between them. Following Tess's training, Ellie is silent on her feet. Not even the one clicker hears her approach, and soon the town is theirs. And this is the part Tess hates most.

That emptiness.

'Hey, check this out!' A house has the doors wide open, and Ellie freely invites herself in. The first thing she spots is a bizarrely shaped red piece of technology. It opens, revealing two screens, and buttons on the side. _Nintendo_ is inscribed on the bottom. Smiling, Ellie turns to Tess, showing her the device, 'One of my friends used to own one of these. When I was at the orphanage.'

It's the first insight into her childhood Ellie has provided.

'What happened to your friend?'

'Dead.' Ellie clears her throat. 'You know, I don't think that orphanage is still standing.'

'Don't dwell on it,' Tess replies, making her way upstairs. 'Pretty much everywhere is gone.' Two bedrooms are up ahead. She considers retreating. There's just something _awful_ about invading people's privacy when they're undoubtedly no longer alive. One bedroom has a double bed, dusted over, the sheets torn. A photograph of a man and woman on the nightstand.

Inside one of the draws are a few bandages, a small paper knife, pencils.

The wardrobe at least has a few warm coats. Tess grabs one and passes it over to Ellie, 'Try this on.'

'It's got pink flowers all over it.'

Tess looks, and, true enough, the coat does indeed have pink flowers. She raises a brow at the young woman.

'Seriously?'

' _Fine_ ,' Ellie mutters, shrugging on the coat. At least it'll keep her warm.

Tess rummages through more clothes and finds what she was looking for. 'People are _so_ predictable.' Retrieving a small box, she opens it up, and not to her surprise, a gun is contained with spare ammunition. She stashes the goods away quickly, and abandons the wardrobe.

While Ellie studies the pictures hung up on the walls, Tess approaches the next bedroom.

Stops.

The door is ajar. She can see the blue walls, with big, white puffy clouds painted across. The aeroplane mobile, hanging from the ceiling, and she dares herself to open the door a little wider.

She sees a cot. Unused blankets.

Blue.

A portrait of joy.

Nothing has been touched.

Everything is ready, waiting; waiting for an arrival which never came.

Tess closes the door. She begins to feel faint, as if some cruel, possessed, horrid creature has yanked out her lungs, her heart, stomach, and laughed at her misery. That bedroom was a gruesome image and she's _livid_. She's so angry she just wants to punch the _fucking_ walls, break the doors, _yell_ ––

'What's the matter?'

She hates Ellie's concern. 'Nothing.' Tess doesn't wait for Ellie to catch up, rushing down the stairs; fleeing. 'Let's get the fuck out of here.'


	2. ii

**ii.**

 _He walks in with a bloody face, and crying. The fool hasn't shaved in months; his bandages are old. Hair dishevelled. Eyes tired and dying. Another one. Another lunatic who would be better off as one of_ _ **those**_ _fuckers. Or rotting beneath the earth. Some decide to laugh, taunting him. They want a fight, because within the quarantine zone, a fight is the best kind of entertainment they're going to get._

 _It is easy to laugh at what they don't understand. They're too scared to understand, to even fathom what kind of suffering this man is forced to endure. Eventually, somebody grabs him by the shoulder and shoves him, demanding him to shut up. Crying is weak. And he's a grown man, a father; he isn't allowed to cry._

 _Feeling is forbidden._

 _Joel refuses to settle. He throws a punch, which is unexpected. Fortunately everybody is used to a minor brawl, and the fight doesn't last long. He is strong, but he's distracted, and he's useless when distracted. When riddled with anger, and emotion, and all the unnecessary bits and pieces the plague has given them._

' _Fresh meat.' Tess turns to who has spoken. She's offered a cigarette by a tall, lean bloke; red, curly hair. 'Want one?'_

' _No. What's the deal?'_

' _Lost a kid.'_

' _Bit?'_

' _Shot.'_

' _Heh. Ironic.'_

' _Looks a bit sore, don't he?'_

' _Tsk. He's a puppy. I'll keep an eye on him.'_

' _Like what you see?'_

 _She doesn't answer. Tess stands, and approaches Joel who's currently wiping his face with mucky hands. Somebody comes over, grinning, 'Dumbass is a danger to himself, ha.' As he's about to reach and interrupt Joel, Tess grabs him by the wrist._

' _I think he's had enough time in the spotlight.'_

 _That's when Joel sees her, and his expression hardens. She gives him her best scowl. Two can play at this game._

 _Besides, she's in no mood to be looked down on by a man who wails in public. Everybody is hurting, and his agony is no sharper than her own._

 _And she ain't crying._

' _Man up. You're alive. And that's just a burden you're gonna have to deal with. Quit your snivelling and help me unload the next delivery.' Joel frowns, and then she's witness to what kind of man he may be: a father through-and-through; reliable, resilient, with a big heart. There's nothing wrong with that, however he needs to be careful whom he shows this big heart to. 'This way. Follow me.'_

 _Joel is obedient, but sceptical. He has stopped crying, and with blood still splashed across his rugged face, Joel follows Tess to where the delivery is being unloaded. People quickly lose interest, which was initially her plan, but maybe she does like what she sees. There's something about sensitive men which amuses her._

 _A few military officers are at the gates. The sun is beginning to set, painting the clouds in blues, reds, and purples and this is her favourite time of the day. When the world is exhausting and bursts out whatever little happiness it has left. A female officer comes over, informing Tess the next baggage will arrive in a couple of minutes._

 _Then she looks at Joel._

' _Don't worry. This one is with me.' Tess folds her arms, eyeing Joel. 'He's a good boy.'_

 _Joel still hasn't said a word. His eyes are sharp._

' _I saw him come in,' the officer says. 'Causing havoc.' Another officer begins to watch Joel critically. 'He knows we're not fans of havoc, right?'_

' _Otherwise he'll get a pretty bullet in his brain box,' the other officer threatens, grinning._

 _Tess snorts, and allows a crooked smile. 'Don't think he's as dumb as he looks.'_

' _You sure? Does he talk?'_

' _Well,' Tess sighs, 'We're still getting to know each other.'_

' _I can talk.'_

 _All three look at Joel. Who has finally spoken! Tess cocks a brow at him, 'What else can you do, Texas?'_

 _He's not entirely comfortable with that nickname, and throws her a look. But that's all he offers. The delivery truck arrives, and the two officers open the gates. Tess chuckles to herself, waiting for their delivery to be unloaded._

' _Shame,' she says, 'You look like a real silver tongue.'_

* * *

This is a mistake, but there's no point in turning back now. Their only way through the city is this abandoned factory. It didn't take them long to discover the city was infested with undead. Clickers freely roamed the area, and Tess was wise enough not to shoot. She advised Ellie to be as quiet as possible, and that they would make their way via the old factory.

It is completely derelict. The walls are peeling. It's cold. Ellie's breath is white and visible. Shivering, she obediently follows Tess who is all too aware of any potential undead within the factory. So far, neither have had company, and Ellie hopes it stays that way. 'Do you know where you're going?'

'Take a guess, kid.'

Ellie sighs. 'Are factories always this depressing?' She picks up a plank of wood, and begins to scrape it against the walls as she walks. 'Jeez, this place gives me the creeps.'

Tess smirks. 'You don't fancy spending the night here, then?'

'Fuck no! I keep expecting one of those fuckers to jump out at me.' Ellie trails off. Tess has stopped listening. The stairs are blocked off, and their only option is the lift. The lift clearly broke down some time ago, because it is stuck halfway between floors. 'Couldn't we have gone another way? I mean…'

'You climb up first.'

'But––'

'I'm right behind you.'

Concerned, Ellie does as she's told. Tense, Tess makes sure Ellie successfully climbs the lift and then onto the next floor. 'Okay,' Ellie groans, hoisting herself up. 'I'm up. You're next.'

'Yeah, yeah.' The moment she puts her weight onto the lift, Tess knows something is wrong. 'Shit––' She reaches for the upper floor, but the lift dismantles all too fast. Tess loses balance, and suddenly she's falling. The water below crashes into her spine. Miraculously, the lift doesn't crush her, and she dives further into the water so as to avoid the impact.

Then she swims up, and bursts for the air.

' _Tess_!? Tess!'

Ellie. Looking up, Tess can see Ellie leaning out. She can't figure out her expression, though, and this panics her slightly. 'Are you all right?' She calls up.

'No!?' Ellie yells. 'You scared the shit out of me!'

Tess looks around her. It's too dark to figure anything out. She grasps for her torch attached to her bag strap, and flicks it on. But that only makes the sight even worse. God knows where she's fallen into.

And Tess has a sinking feeling she's not the only one who has made this slip.

It stinks down here.

'Stay exactly where you are!'

'Wh––Where are you gonna go?'

'Anywhere but here,' she mutters to herself. 'I'll meet you!'

'Okay!' Ellie doesn't sound convinced. She sounds scared and worried, and that only drives Tess to work her way out faster.

Tess is hurt. Her waist is killing her. Must have done it from the fall. She dives into the water, and discovers an open doorway. Using all of her energy, she swims through, searching for a break in the surface. When she finds it she is welcomed to darkness.

Still, dead darkness. It's too quiet. On her feet again, Tess is cautious at first. Flicking on her torch, she surveys the area. There's nothing. As if life never existed here. Everything is gone. Everything untouched for years. This place was abandoned so long ago. Tess ignores the shiver travelling up her spine, and holds her breath.

Now isn't the time to be scared. And she has to remind herself that she has been through much, much worse.

Dead bodies crawl these halls.

She retrieves her pistol. At the moment, she can't hear anything.

Tess _needs_ to hear something. Because if something _breathes_ down here, then there has to be a way they got in. She fools herself into believing that if _they_ can get down here, then there must be a way out. _Oh, fuck me, there has to be a way out!_

The next room is a wide open space, and the light above twitches and flickers as if in panic. A staircase leads to a hall, where she hopes an exit may be available. There's a large water tank in the centre of the room, which puzzles her. Where has she ended up? The mechanics have rusted over completely.

Hurried footsteps are heard from behind.

Tess turns, pistol ready. She doesn't tremble. If she trembles, she'll lose her aim.

There's something down here.

And she has to get out. _Now_.

Tess is steady. This is what she does. This is her life. This is how she survives. Steady as she goes. The pistol feels that much heavier in her hands as she proceeds up the staircase.

More of them. Lots of them.

… too many.

Tess gasps, crouching low. Presses her ear to the wall, and she can hear them. Whining, screaming, moaning; their gnarled feet dashing across the floor. Hurriedly grasping for thin air. There's too many. She has to be stealthy, take them out one by one.

She _has_ to.

Ellie is waiting for her upstairs, and she _has to get back to Ellie_.

Damn it, she _swore_ she would never leave a child under her care again. Children always end up dying first––

 _Stop_ , she tells herself. _Shut up and get the job done._

The first undead is a few inches away. Back turned. Easy. Tess jumps forward, the knife forced deep into its neck. She carefully lets it fall without a sound. Remains crouched. Homes in on her next prey. One. By. One. Steady. _Take it steady_.

Clickers. Fuck. Tess needs to watch her step. Clickers are strong, restless creatures that will not hesitate to gouge. She has seen too many times the mess Clickers make.

But as she steps forward, she doesn't see the shattered glass. Tess winces when the glass cracks beneath her boot.

A Clicker wails. And she shoots.

One bullet. Its head explodes. The corpse falls, making room for the next Clicker to dash over. Another shot. The path is clear. She can hear more undead running towards her, screaming out.

Tess bolts forward.

Her heart is in her mouth, pulse pounding in her ears, and she turns, tries to shoot, but the magazine is empty and––

'Fuck!'

 _Just run._

But she only gets so far.

She can hear it. See it. A huge mound of rotten flesh, bones strained under the immense weight of itself; blind; face utterly corrupt with fungus. A Bloater.

Tess has encountered only one before. She's all too aware they cannot be killed easily, but she's also aware of how slow they are. Tess has nothing on her to destroy the thing. However, she has legs, and she is agile. She just needs to distract it away from her somehow.

The problem is that she's trapped.

At least ten infected are racing up from behind her now, Clickers in the mix.

For a second, this looks like death.

It's an odd feeling. To be precise, it's not a feeling. It's a _lack of_ feeling. She almost feels peaceful even. The end doesn't seem so ugly. And maybe she will spend the rest of her rotting days trapped here. Forever. Turning into one of these things––

What a waste.

Tess fires a bullet. It scrapes past a Clicker, hitting the opposite wall. This confuses the infected, and they stop, ponder and dash for where the bullet went. The Bloater is mere inches away, and has started to throw sacks of Mycotoxin. Tess manages to avoid it, but the stench it emits nearly makes her vomit.

The deadly cloud strains her vision momentarily. Some of the infected have finally figured out Tess hasn't ran away after all, and have begun to hurry back. Tess swears under her breath – she can see a door! Behind the Bloater. And God damn it, if that door is locked, then she's doomed. And if she dies here, Ellie will barely last long herself, and what a _fucking waste of fucking time_!

All of this. Joel. All of this would have been for _nothing_.

The Bloater doesn't fill the entire hall. She can slip by. If she's fast enough. Tess runs. Ducking in time at the Bloater's humungous fist, before throwing herself at the door.

It doesn't budge.

'Fucker!' Now she's mad. Now she's _pissed off_! The Bloater strains while turning around, and a Clicker has managed to catch up. Tess has no choice but to defend herself. She whacks the Clicker across the head, before retrieving her knife.

The blade goes straight through its face, wedged deep.

Tess kicks the door open. She succeeds but with repercussions. Tess groans at her now strained muscles, but she fights the pain, and blindly runs for escape. She can hear infected following. They're so loud. She shoots behind her aimlessly, before deciding to pay all attention on what is ahead of her. She's nearly out.

And there's a door. Open, as if beckoning her.

For God's sake. Let this be the final one.

Tess dashes through, slams the door shut behind her. To her relief, the door can be padlocked, and she immediately locks the door. The infected collide into the door but they are blocked. Tess breathes out in relief. She's out. She escaped.

Now she has to find Ellie.

Daylight is soon in view. Tess is no longer sure if she's in the factory anymore, or entered a completely different building. Once in the light, Tess rewards herself a moment to catch her breath. That was too close. The idea of being stuck down there, forever, feels heavy in her stomach. She can't believe there was a moment when––

––she nearly _thought_ that.

As if she had removed herself from her own body, and thought _maybe death would be the best option_.

'Ellie.'

Ellie is the best option. The cure.

So they say.

Tess trudges on. An escape to the building is close by. If she can leave the building, at least she can gather a sense of her surroundings. She reaches out for the door––

Something heavy is thrown at her.

She hits the ground hard. It feels as if her skull has split in two. A hunter has caught her whereabouts, and begins to throw a punch at her. She grabs his wrist, her fist hitting his jaw. He knees her stomach, winding her momentarily, before his hands claw around her throat.

Tess struggles. Chokes. She reaches for her knife.

It's not there. It's still in the Clicker she killed. Her gun! Her gun––she needs her gun! Tess grasps for it, her fingers slipping over the metal, and it falls out of her possession. The man is unrelenting, and her chest is beginning to soar with agony from the lack of oxygen. He's going to kill her. He's going to––

 _Bang!_

She watches the hole between his eyes seep with blood. His eyes roll back, and his body collapses. Limp beside her. Tess scrambles to her feet, and turns to find a wide-eyed Ellie, the gun smoking, still pointed at where the hunter lies. The girl gasps, 'Whoa.' Lowers the gun. 'I shot the hell out of that guy, huh?'

Tess takes a second. Breathes.

'Yeah,' she says, faking a calmness only a parent would in this situation. 'You sure did.' Tess reaches for her pistol, and stashes it away. Looks at Ellie. The girl is pale in the face, scared, amazed at what she has done, but not guilty. 'You okay?'

Ellie sighs, relieved. She sits on the floor, trying to collect herself. 'Uh-Huh. I think so.' A beat. 'I feel sick.'

Tess looks at her again. Ellie's head is in her hands, and it occurs to Tess that that was Ellie's first real kill. It occurs to Tess that Ellie was here to save her, and Ellie was only here to save her because she disobeyed Tess's orders, and _moved away_ from where Tess told her to stay. Tess won't even imagine what Ellie would have confronted on her way down here – and how did she even know Tess would be here?

An irrational worry and fear for the girl, which displays itself as anger, dominates Tess entirely.

'You silly girl,' she snatches Ellie's gun, despite entrusting it to her.

'Hey, what the Hell––?'

'I expected you to do as you were told. Not to have you–– _running around_ aimlessly.'

'I wasn't running around aimlessly. I was worried. _Okay_?'

'You should have stayed put.' Tess won't look at her. She's angry. She's angry and she doesn't really know why. But looking at Ellie _makes_ her angry, so she'd best avoid her face altogether.

Ellie raises her head. 'Well, you're glad I didn't, right?'

Tess opens the door she had tried to escape through. She's holding onto the handle so tightly, Ellie wonders if she might break it. Disbelief, shock, _something_ makes Tess laugh, and it's a cruel sound. A sound Ellie isn't familiar with and doesn't like.

'I'm glad you managed to point the damn gun in the right direction!'

'You know what?' Ellie stands, a young girl ready to make a point. ' _No_! How about "hey, Ellie, I know it wasn't easy, but it was either him or me, thanks for saving my ass"?' Tess rolls her eyes trying to ignore her. She appreciates Ellie's fortitude, but the child just _doesn't_ understand what the problem is. What any of this is. Why the world is the way it is. How fucked it has been for her. For everybody she has ever loved. _And now they're dead._ 'You got anything like that for me, Tess?'

In this moment, Ellie reminds her too much of somebody.

And it hurts.

It really _fucking_ hurts her so much, and this is the point where she starts to tremble. Not visibly enough for Ellie to notice, though.

Tess scoffs, scowling.

 _I nearly died for this kid, and she gives me bite in return?_

She still won't look at her.

Her voice comes out soft, exhausted; there's no fight in her anymore. 'We need to keep moving.'

Ellie doesn't follow immediately. She's upset. She can't get her head around why Tess is so mad at her, considering she saved her life. To be brutally honest, Ellie can't understand Tess very much at all. She's so difficult to read. So hard on the surface.

'Lead the way,' Ellie says, sarcastic.

Tess lets her have that one.

Besides, it's nothing she isn't used to.


	3. iii

**iii.**

'That door looks promising. Ellie, can you see any way for us to get up there?'

'Nope.'

 _Still moody with me, huh, kid?_ The open doorway is above them. Stairway broken. Light filters in through the windows, dusted over from neglect. Tess discovers an old piano positioned close to a gap onto the first floor. Perfect. They can use that to hoist themselves up.

Ellie follows Tess to the piano, and leans against the wall while Tess begins to manoeuvre the large instrument. The floorboard creaks slightly from the weight, but Tess can barely budge it alone. She sighs, and looks over to Ellie with a sarcastic expression, 'You going to help me out here or just be decoration?'

Reluctantly, Ellie offers a hand. Once the piano is in position, Tess climbs first, before proceeding towards the open doorway. This leads them both out onto the roof. She looks across to the next building, the piping which travels across the walls. Ahead, a silhouette in the sunset, the city comes to a finish, and all that's left is open road.

For a brief moment, she enjoys the view. Its stillness. She can hear Ellie kick a stone behind her. Turning to the young girl, Tess can tell she's upset her from before, and Ellie doesn't have the patience to forgive her. Maybe Tess had been too firm. However, she knows as well as anybody that children need to be disciplined, even when the world is dying.

Tess scans the area below them. From where she stands, she can see several hunters roaming the place. And she can hear a vehicle. Something heavy, its engine growling a distance away. If she were with Joel, the two of them would dive right into their territory. No hesitation. Their reputation was surrounded by the fact they liked to go into danger with all guns blazing, and loud bangs.

She chuckles fondly, but her smile drops as quickly as it arrived. She isn't with Joel anymore, but a fourteen-year-old girl, who depends on her completely to stay safe. Tess won't risk it. They have to travel from rooftop-to-rooftop. She's done this before, but it has been a few years since. Glancing at Ellie, she's not entirely convinced the petite lady is as agile.

Oh, well.

'Watch your footing,' and that's all the advice Tess provides.

Ellie gapes in horror when Tess jumps from the edge, effortlessly climbing the pipe attached to the neighbouring building. She makes it look so easy, and there is _no way_ Ellie will––

Leaning over, Tess encourages her over, 'You'll be fine.'

'You're really good with reassuring words, aren't you?"

Tess shrugs, 'I wouldn't exactly say it's my strong suit. My other charms make up for that.'

Ellie appreciates her sense of humour. She twitches a smile. 'I can see why Joel liked having you around.' There's sarcasm in her voice, but truth as well. Bracing herself for the inevitable drop, Ellie dashes over and leaps off the edge.

Unfortunately she doesn't catch the pipe. But Tess catches her wrist immediately and pulls her up. 'You'll get the hang of it,' she says, helping Ellie to her feet. She lets her go. The next jump is a little bigger, but at least there are vines they can climb. Tess just hopes they're sturdy enough. 'Take calm in the fact that the fall alone will kill you.' She glances at Ellie. 'Painless, you know?'

'Jesus.'

The vines are study. Strong. Ellie is impressed with Tess's upper body strength, and can't help but admire her. Although she has been surrounded by women most of her life, she hasn't met anybody quite like Tess before. She is tough, a rough surface to break, but she keeps revealing these spontaneous gifts, and Ellie wonders what else lurks behind her casual façade.

Once Tess has successfully climbed, it's Ellie's turn. Again, Tess assists, but Ellie manages to make her way up almost independently. She's already improving. Breathing heavily –– mostly out of terror and adrenaline –– Ellie smiles up at her, 'Guess you did this a lot, huh?'

Pleased Ellie is back to conversing again, Tess obliges, 'Used to. When the outbreak happened, I was pretty young back then –– believe it or not. I was assigned into the military. Spent most of my days trying to escape the damned school. I thought the Fireflies were fucked. But these guys? Smoking crack.'

Ellie laughs. 'You went to military school as well?'

'It's not something I like to brag about.'

'Ha. Me neither! Why'd you quit?'

'I didn't. I was dismissed.'

'… _Oh_.'

'Those were the early days. If you were dismissed now, or a few years back, you'd be killed. People are less forgiving now.'

'Do you blame them, though?'

Tess walks across the rooftop, and scowls. _I blame them all the fucking time_. In fact, she can't recall a moment when she didn't blame the military. Everything grew from them. Their corruption, so stale and unjudged, hunters and looters; rapists, murderers, cannibals; the _fucked up_ grew out of their blasphemous rules.

And then there are the Fireflies. Hypocrites. Preaching peace and solidarity, when they spend every waking hour killing whoever disagrees with them. The Fireflies who handed over Ellie like cargo. And then she lost Joel because of it. This had all better be worth the loss. Perhaps Ellie is the cure. The vaccine everybody has prayed for.

Just a little girl, completely ignorant of the magnitude of her existence.

Ellie notes the lack of response. She frowns, puzzled. It was Joel whom she considered to be driven by hate. How he was so sceptical about her, didn't see eye-to-eye with her, until the bite. Until Joel and Ellie were separated from Tess, and had to fight all of those infected, and she saw it happen –– the shout Joel made when their teeth sunk into his flesh.

Forgiveness loses its meaning after a while.

Is she to forgive the military? Is she to forgive hunters? Innocent civilians who do nothing to help themselves? Is she to forgive the dead?

Ellie exhales.

Is she to forgive herself?

Both of them have killed. Both of them have killed loved ones. How many, neither know; neither care to know. Straying into _what was_ is useless and painful and bloody. So, Ellie runs, catching up to Tess, and obeying her only order: keep moving forward.

* * *

 _The wound seeps. Weeping blood and puss, and its huge; his waist is torn. Almost shredded._

 _He is saying to her how it's already like this after an hour –– an hour! –– and yet, Ellie's is clean. Perfect._

 _Ellie's wound is old, and Joel's is new, and the infection has spread too far, too much, and a stupid, naïve, wonderful idea comes to Tess's mind that yes, Ellie is the cure, she is the cure after all, they just need to find the Fireflies, and then they can save Joel, and then everything will be all right again––_

' _Tess!'_

 _No._

 _Oh, God._

 _No no no no no._

 _It screams at her that he is going to die. He will turn into one of those things, because he––_

' _You idiot!' She pushes him. Rough. Furious. 'You fucking idiot!'_

' _I'm sorry,' Joel softens his voice, 'I––'_

' _Sorry? Ha! Oops, right? Little mistake.'_

 _This is a dream. A nightmare. She needs to wake up. She wants to wake up. This whole life is just a dream, and she'll wake up and be home, safe, warm, away from everything, all of this shit, all of this horrible, really just_ _ **horrible**_ _reality she has to survive in._

' _You need to take the girl.'_

' _You're still coming with me,' Tess can't recognise her own voice. And every time she looks at his darling face, her throat closes in, and she just––she wants to strangle him, cuddle him, scream at him for being so fucking stupid. After everything, everything they had been through, and now,_ _ **now of all times**_ _, he decides to give up._

 _Joel isn't going to fight._

 _All the wrong he did seems to have faded away. His eyes are warm, full of apology, and so adoring, she doesn't know whether to slap him across the face, or just_ _ **walk away**_ _. It hits her like rock. She's scared. Tess hasn't been_ _ **scared**_ _in decades, and just by the way he_ _ **looks**_ _at her, she is terrified for her life. The bite is imprinted in her mind, and she can't get rid of it._

' _You know I can't.'_

 _Joel places his hands on Tess's shoulders, forces her to look at him. His eyes are wide, deep, and desperate. 'Are you hearing me? Take the girl. I think––I think,' he nods, trying so hard to convince himself this is right, 'I think we've found the answer.'_

' _What are you talking about?' She laughs in disbelief, in complete denial._

' _You need to leave.' His hands fall away, and she watches him retrieve his handgun._

 _Tess blinks. Reaches for her own weapon. Her mouth is dry, and she's suddenly gone completely numb. As if hurled back into her military days when emotion was absolutely forbidden. 'You still have time––'_

' _I've ran out of time, Tess,' he breathes._

 _Ellie comes closer to where Tess stands, and she has said nothing throughout. Glancing between the two, she doesn't want to imagine what they'll decide on. Whether she will leave Joel here, drag him with her until the very last minute, or––_

 _Two options._

 _Kill themselves, or go crazy together._

 _Her heart aches for Riley. A heat pressed deep into her chest, burning cold._

' _You don't wanna see this,' Joel mutters, checking the magazine of his gun. 'I don't want you to see this.'_

' _What are you_ _ **doing**_ _?' Tess snatches the handgun from him._

' _And what then?' Joel roars, eyes ablaze with fear and pleading. 'Surely you must see that there's no other option here!' He pauses, breathes, just to lower his voice, 'Please,' he comes closer, too close, and it hurts just to see him this way. Begging to die. 'Haven't we been through enough already? Don't make me turn into one of those things. Let me go. Let me…' Be with Sarah. Finally. Let it all end before it gets any worse. He exhales shakily, closing his eyes; another beat, and then, 'You have to get her to Tommy's.'_

 _He glances at the two weapons in her hands. Takes a step back._

' _Let me be, Tess.'_

 _She shakes her head lightly, hating him. Loving him. Wishing she had never met him in the first place. Wishing, just wishing––_

–– _it be her instead._

 _Tess raises the gun at him._

 _Takes aim._

' _Bet you're sick of this view, huh?'_

 _He chuckles. 'Not the first time you've pointed a gun at me.'_

 _A beat. Tess breathes._

' _Fuck you, Joel.'_

 _Shoots once._


	4. iiii

**iiii.**

By this point, Ellie's trainers are torn apart. Her feet are vulnerable to the earth, and she is careful where she walks. The land gets worse. Rain, snow, darting hail which nearly causes blindness, torrential wind and whenever it is sunny, the heat is horrendous. The skies are angry, pelting down with its cries and betrayal. If infected or people don't kill them first, then Mother Earth will.

She, and her ugly claws.

They haven't found food in days. Death lurks wherever they go. At night, when they've eventually discovered shelter (and those are rare gifts), Tess offers Ellie the tiny amount of rations they have. Ellie notes how Tess only has a minimal amount herself, and sometimes nothing. Her face looks older; wiser somehow, and Ellie wonders if this is as old as she will ever look.

Every so often, Ellie can hear infected. Screaming, moaning; crawling the earth around them. They can smell living flesh, but can't find them; both Ellie and Tess have ensured their safety. But Ellie recounts Joel's words: it's just luck, and it's about to run out. However both of them have been lucky for so long now, Ellie fears the end is near. Her immunity is of little value initially. The infected can still rip her apart. She isn't entirely sure which way out she'd prefer: by the living, or by the dead.

Tess doesn't sleep. She can't. She's too tired. Too determined to hand Ellie over to the Fireflies. They have gone so far. Losing Ellie now –– she can't fathom it. She tells herself that, anyway. This is for the Fireflies. Ellie is mere cargo. That is what she tries to tell herself, because if she considers Ellie as anything else, then it just gets hard. It gets tricky and complicated, and she cannot afford that mistake.

Sometimes Ellie watches her, one eye open, pretending to doze. Tess is motionless. Sort of lost in her own head, but conscious of the noise –– or lack thereof –– around her. A lioness, waiting patiently for its prey; protecting her little cub. Something fierce, yet soft. A vulnerable thing, who has endured pain so much, it has somehow developed a rough shell. Impenetrable. The kind of shell which is agonising in itself to grow. Ellie won't forget Tess's precise aim when she shot Joel.

Maybe it is the military training, but Ellie isn't convinced. Maybe this is just Tess; what the world has done to her. And it makes her –– _sad_. Sad to think that, perhaps if this infection never existed, Tess would be an entirely different woman. What sort of woman was she, anyway? Before the outbreak, was she warmer? More affectionate? Less adaptable? Just somebody who Ellie would never meet.

Did she have family once? Her own children, maybe? She would have been a young mother if so, but Ellie is familiar with young mothers. What did she want to be? What did Tess do every day before a gun was placed in her hands?

When Ellie sleeps, she can see Joel's face. Sorry, and pleading –– this is his only way out. And Riley is saying the exact same. _Don't make me turn into one of those things_. And Ellie can feel the gun, the cold metal, and she shoves the damned monstrosity into her mouth, angles it upwards. _Let me die instead. It should be me. I don't deserve to live_. Ellie scrunches her eyes shut, squeezes the trigger––

She jolts upright, yelling out. But there's darkness, and the crackle of the fire nearby, and Tess hasn't moved. Ellie exhales slowly, running her hands through her hair. 'Bad dream?' Tess asks. Ellie doesn't answer. She isn't able to. Those faces were so vivid, and that gun, that _bullet_ felt _real_. 'It's okay. Go to sleep.'

Whether Tess truly means that, Ellie isn't sure. Regardless, she lies back down again, eyes wide, and stares up at the night sky. Its stars twinkling, beautiful and so out of place amongst the devastation.

The following morning, the two of them come across a small road. Ellie is so busy staring down at her feet, she doesn't actually hear the sound of men's voices, until Tess grabs her by the collar. Ellie gasps, pressed up against her, and listens. Chatter. Calm, casual chatter from the road. That's when she sees them. Five men, surrounding a car. They have stopped for the time being.

Ellie swallows. She's ready to run if Tess orders it, but the order never comes. Instead, Tess gently tugs Ellie back. Further back. One of the men has separated from the group. He's walking over to where they are positioned, and Tess quietly tells Ellie to hide behind a tree she is pointing at. Ellie dashes over, chest to the trunk, and breathes out. Tess joins her, and Ellie watches her retrieve her handgun.

While the man busies relieving himself, Tess ensures none of the men below have spotted them. She checks Ellie hasn't moved. Then, as the man begins to zip up his jeans, and turn around, she raises the gun.

He stops.

Stares.

All of the colour from his face drains away, and he slowly raises his hands.

'I––I got nothing for ya.'

'That's a pretty car,' Tess says, eyes sharp. Gun steady. 'What you got in it?' He doesn't answer. His face darkens, and Ellie grows tense. 'Food? Water? Any ammo?' She clenches her jaw, 'Feel like sharing?'

'Like I said,' he glances at Ellie, smiling, 'I got nothing for ya.'

'Don't look at her.' His eyes flicker back to Tess. 'You look at her again––' Ellie looks up at Tess, holding her breath, '––I'll shoot you.'

'Oh, yeah?' He chuckles softly. 'Your daughter looks hungry.' Pauses. 'We got food. We can feed her. We can feed her _well_.' He takes one step forward. Tess _clicks_ the gun. He stops. 'Don't want your little girl starving, do ya?'

Tess wonders if she's made a mistake. But she wants that car. She _needs_ it. If they're ever going to make it to Tommy's, they have to drive. Both she and Ellie are exhausted from walking so much. And she can't go much further like this. 'I'm the one holding the gun. I'd hate for you to make the wrong decision.'

'She is a pretty one.' He smiles at Ellie, and a shiver shoots up her spine. 'We'd treat you both real nice.'

And something happens. Nothing physical. But the air changes. The atmosphere drops. Tess breathes out, and an incredible hatred is shared between her and the man. A deal will not be made. He smiles wider, daring, eyes greedy. Tess reaches over for Ellie, and her pulse races just a little faster.

The gun in her hand flashes in the sunlight.

It suddenly gets very cold.

And––

The man throws himself at her. Tess's head smacks into the earth, and he pins her down, grasping for her weapon. He struggles, and she tries to fight him off, but he's bigger, heavier, stronger, and then the weapon is in his hand and he presses the snout to her cheek, squeezes the trigger.

Nothing.

He fell for her bluff completely.

Tess takes this opportunity to knee him in the groin. He groans, and rolls over, clutching where it hurts. Tess stands, slamming her boot against his throat, searching for whatever little ammo she has in her pockets. While he chokes, the men below have heard the commotion and are running over. One has a rifle. Another a shotgun. Tess manages to fill the pistol in time.

Swiftly, she fires, shooting one in the head. Another shoots back, but she dodges. He whacks his fist across her face, and the impact is so deadly, she's flown off her feet. Tess can taste blood, her jaw throbs, and for a moment she temporarily loses vision. Trying to find her feet, she can hear Ellie's hurried footsteps.

'Hey, you piece of shit!'

She throws a rock, hitting a man square in the face. He's knocked out cold.

Tess looks up. Blood drips off her chin. One of the men grabs Ellie around the middle, attempts to strangle her, and an unimaginable fear grasps Tess entirely. She ignores how her body screams at her to stop. Her legs move faster than her brain, and she jumps onto the man's back. He's forced to let Ellie go, and Tess tries to shoot at him, but he clings to her arms, before hurling her off him. When she lands, something breaks, but she has no time to wonder what.

She kicks him in the stomach. As she stands, she retrieves her gun––

'Tess, on your left!'

Shoots in the direction Ellie said.

Another man down.

'Fucking bitch!'

Tess does not have the same muscle mass as a man, and this puts her at a disadvantage. One of the men manages to grab her around the waist and attempts to drag her away. Tess kicks her legs out, 'Fucker!' Headbuts him from behind. This works. He drops her, but she loses her gun in the process. She tries to reach for it, but the same man presses her hard into the ground with his weight.

The next attempt he makes is to suffocate her. Tess can't budge. But Ellie's at the scene. The girl copies Tess's move, and jumps onto the man's back. Tess escapes his bind, and Ellie bites him in the neck. This causes a shock. He screams, throwing her off of him. 'She––she bit me! She bit me!'

'Is she infected?'

Tess grabs Ellie, a crooked, bloody smile. She yanks up Ellie's sleeve, and reveals her dated bite. 'Oh, dear,' Tess breathes, smiling still. Ellie sees something demonic in her expression, and it's almost scary.

The bitten man looks in terror.

'Oh, fuck…'

'What you doin' carrying around an infected girl?'

While they're both distracted, Tess turns and hits him with the back of the gun. He drops out cold. The other man is still paralysed in fear. 'Ellie,' Tess says, impressively calm, 'Get to the car. Drive it. Now.'

Ellie doesn't need to be told twice.

She bolts down the hill. Tess is about to follow, but the bitten man has recovered and begins to shoot at her. Ellie doesn't look back. If she looks back, she'll trip, or see something she really doesn't want to –– she opens the car door, practically throws herself in, turns on the ignition, exhales, glances out of the window.

No sign of Tess.

Drive. Just drive.

Ellie does just that, and the engine roars with life. She starts at a slow pace, hoping, _just hoping_ , Tess will appear from the top of the hill. Nothing still. 'Fuck, Tess, _c'mon_ ,' she pleads quietly.

As she reaches 10mph, that's when Tess is seen. She's bloodier than before, her hand pressed to her stomach, and Ellie reaches over to open the passenger door. Tess jumps in, and Ellie hits the accelerator. Neither speak. Ellie needs to get them out of sight. She's driving so fast, everything around them is a blur, and she's shaking. Tess is hurt. She doesn't know how hurt. But she's hurt.

Once they're far away, Tess speaks. 'Didn't know you could drive.'

'I learnt a while back.'

Tess groans, trying to adjust herself. 'Gonna need you to do that for a while.'

'… are you shot?' Ellie asks, whispering it, scared for the truth.

'No,' Tess sighs. 'Bastard fucked me up a bit though.'

Ellie chuckles, relieved. 'Yeah.' She sighs. 'But you did a number on them.'

'Thanks for your help.'

Ellie lets that sink in. She smiles, eyes on the road. 'You're welcome.'

The world escapes them for the next couple of hours. Their journey is in silence. Which is best. Neither have the energy to talk, and Ellie has to concentrate. Not that that are many hazards on the roads these days. A fondness passes her eyes when she looks over to find Tess sleeping. A rare right. But it's the least she deserves, and Ellie wants her to have as much rest as possible.

The blood on her clothes and face have dried. Ellie just hopes not too much damage has been made. Tess is oddly peaceful while resting; her youth shows, and her appearance stuns Ellie. She always acts considerably older than she actually is and to this day, Tess's real age remains a mystery to the young woman.

Everywhere is empty. So many cars abandoned, occasionally blocking other roads. She imagines another world, where the outbreak didn't happen, and cars would drive alongside her. People. They would wave through their window, and she would wave back. Maybe people were nicer back then. Kinder. Happy. In these little metal boxes with their family, friends, pet animals.

She read stories about people going on holiday in cars. Holiday. Ellie can't really get her head around the point in those. Still, she enjoyed the fantasy. Her and Riley would often joke about "going on holiday" as it were. Go to the deep, blue sea. Where the fishes and sharks swim. Get tangled up in seaweed, and create sandcastles. Buy plastic spades to dig holes, and buckets to fill with water.

What a bizarre life.

Tess begins to stir, and she winces when trying to move. Ellie glances at her, smiles. 'Rest well?'

'Uh,' Tess tries to gain an idea of their whereabouts. 'How long have I been out?'

'About an hour.'

Tess looks at Ellie, then faces forward. 'I'll take over in a minute.'

'It's okay. I like this.'

'You don't know where we're going.'

'Huh. True.'

Tess snorts. 'Whatever, kid.' She rubs her eye with the heel of her palm. Tess looks behind her into the back seat, and spots a couple of full bags. 'Any clue what's in these?' Ellie looks at her, puzzled, then realises what's she referring to.

'Didn't see those.'

Despite the pain it gives her, Tess stretches over, and snatches both bags. She doesn't hesitate to check their contents. And it's a real treat. Bottles filled with water, packets of food, a map, ammunition. 'Fuck,' Tess breathes, 'Pay day. Ha!' Ellie laughs, uncertain what pay day means. Tess lifts a bottle of a murky liquid. 'This _is_ my day. Come to mama.' She pops off the cork to the bottle, and takes a generous gulp.

Ellie gathers it's a type of cognac.

But she's only seen them in picture books.

She eyes Tess suspiciously while she drinks some more.

'Ain't it illegal to drink while driving?'

Tess chuckles, appreciating life for the moment. 'Only if you get caught, kid.'

'Can I have some?'

'You won't like it.' Tess straightens, 'Makes you feel funny.'

'I've had some before!'

'Not on my watch. Finders keepers.'

Ellie scoffs, and pouts. She glowers when Tess has another swig. 'You're enjoying yourself,' she mumbles.

'A'right. Let's consider this. I've been doing this crap for the past twenty-one years. You've only had it fourteen. Think I deserve the small pleasures more than you, boo.'

The sarcasm in that petname makes Ellie scowl. 'Don't call me that.'

'Ha. Someone's sensitive.'

'Feeling the alcohol, huh?'

' _Oh_ , trust me, hardly.' Tess exhales, content. She falls into her seat, and has another swig, eyeing the label of the bottle. 'Tastes just as good with a cigarette, y'know? Damn. What I would give for one of those right now.' She glances at Ellie, who blinks, stupefied. 'I must be other-worldly to you, sometimes.'

'Yeah,' Ellie says. She can't imagine having booze and a cigarette at the same time. Bit weird. What people used to do before the outbreak – crazy! 'Sometimes.'

Tess grabs a packet of food and chucks it at Ellie's head.

'Oi! What the _fuck_?'

'Enjoy that, kiddo.'

Ellie pulls a face at her, but can't resist the temptation of food. She hasn't eaten in days, after all! Stomach growling she opens the packet quickly, maintaining a smooth ride on the road. While she gobbles what she can, Tess enjoys her bottle of cognac, and, at least for now, the world doesn't seem so bad.


End file.
